Drawing with Tim

Tim is three now and it’s high time he learned a trick or two. I read in an old German dog-training handbook (“Wie die Ausbildung von drei Kilo Wiener, um Ihnen eine heiß Tasse Kaffee” by Dackel J. PferdApfel) that, with the judicious application of a stout cudgel and hard taffy, one can get even the most timid long-haired miniature Dachshund to speak.

We spent a frustrating weekend working through the manual with Tim and were finally rewarded with his first few words. After a month of follow-up work, he is now entirely fluent in English, has shed most of his Dusseldorf accent (replaced for some reason with a Bensonhurst growl), and bores us with long monologues about lunch meat, cats, and the perils of thunderstorms.

Now we’re working on a much bigger challenge — getting him to draw. On Tuesday night, we began his first drawing lesson and he did a passable portrait of me, before moving on to sketch some flank steak, a barbecued chicken and a meatloaf. Fortunately, a local documentary film crew was on hand to capture his first faltering steps and they’ve been posted online.

I urge you to try to encourage your own family members to draw. It’s fun, it’s relaxing, and it’s easier than chasing your tail.

Danny, I thought he was right-pawed! Great idea and wonderful creativity.
Did I miss something? I haven't read a word lately how Jack's first year in the arts high school went. How'd it go for him? Frank

Managed to buy "The Illustrated Life" here at Kinokuniya in Singapore and found my way to your blog. I'm sure my rescued, age unknown dachshund (Mini Rose Doglet) is home in South Australia drawing her illustrated life at home without me. I've publushed five books of poetry but can't draw. Your work has shown me not to get hung up on that but just to leave my mark in some way on paper and then process it.

Dan the Man: Soo glad you are back. I had given up on checking the site for a while, and was delighted this am. to see it is active once again. I 'discovered' you a few years ago while involved in an Artist's Way group. Your methods made good sense to me and I have followed you since. I give your books as gifts; they are an inspiration to all sorts of people: like me (early 50's, female) and to the high school boy I gave one to just last week. I am a professional writer who loves to draw, but will never likely be the reverse. I draw for fun and have learned to love my product, no matter how it turns out. TY for the lessons, man. I feel like I owe you.

hi maggie, thanks for this nice comment on danny's blog! i'm an 'early 50's female too! it's cool that you write and draw. i imagine doing both but i don't have the discipline to really work at it. or maybe i'm too occupied doing laundry for my three in-home-artists…danny, jack, and now tim!
keep well,
patti
ps. also can't help but mention that i love your name. especially since we have a baby 2 year old niece (danny's sister's child) named maggie and jack's best friend's dog is also maggie!

This video made my day. I've sent a link with Drawing with Tim to a couple of my friends. They all loved it. Maybe I should try it with my dog. That would be funny. It also inspired me to get back to drawing. Thanks for that. Have a blast!

Nice, it's cool to see you doing films. I just finished your book: The Creative Licence and this was a funny and interesting thing to watch. It was a brilliant book by the way, very motivating and real.